Mon Coeur s'ouvre à ta voix - Marilyn Horne, Jon Vickers

[VillMichael]

I had not heard her as Dalila, what a beautiful rich voice, very sensual

[puppetoz]

Awesome! 

[bodiloto]

voce fuori repertorio .

[Forplaylist]

Fucking awesome

[spizzell1]

I love this woman. She sings so amazing. And I love that she never developed the wabble that so many develope at an older age. Simply outstanding.

[Telltaleheart79]

This feels a bit like Marilyn is struggling with the slowish tempo.

[cleanears]

Vickers just is (was) the greatest. Outshines them all!

[crion4]

superbe texte... Y'en a un qui doit être content.

[Jaiam]

It's so so so goood

but.... don't you think its a little bit out of tune in some parts?

[UrsulanChild]

it is. The chromatic phrases in the refrain, "Ah, réponds, réponds à ma tendresse..." were indeed flat. Hard phrase to sing, sustained and chromatic. She's not alone.

[romondesbert]

To my french ear this rendition sounds just heavy and vulgar. The text is diluted in a forced legato which has nothing to do with french style. Sorry but this is not Marylin's repertoire.

[sharonmary]

TBH, i agree. I was feeling a bit guilty for awhile there, she is fantastic, but this is just not her best repertoire.

[KILLERADVICE]

Bravo ! Enfin une oreille de qualité sur cette vidéo qui est exactement l'inverse de ce que l'on peut attendre dans Dalila. C'est bien chanté, certes, mais voilà une Dalila qui ne charme personne : c'est problématique pour un opéra qui ne tourne qu'autour de cela, justement.

[MSMillerNYC]

Olga Borodina is still the sexiest Dalila on the stage, but I absolutely sink in the depths of Marilyn Horne's voice. She is assoluto in this role.

[bendfeldtf]

Try Elena cernei on this aria and then you tell . . . . .

[MSMillerNYC]

Fabulous! Thank you for the recommendation. I can't wait to listen to her Carmen now.

[uniqueattack]

geez, he's mad loud!

[eamonmoriarty]

My favourite version of this aria is by Maria Callas

[AinslieRiddell]

Even well beyond her prime, this performance by MH puts Elina G in the shade ...

[ilopezgue]

le epazotie

[stevevandien]

I've certainly heard much worse tenor B flats --

[franktenor]

terrible B-flat."Je j'aime" It means I love you. Do you hear it? But I love this music. Beautiful.

[sgnmath1234]

Dear franktenor

Yes the Bb was sub par. I saw him in this production ( Maybe not this actual performance) It was announced that Mr. Vickers had a cold. Now I can understand why he did sound..well..kind of...how might you say..Non-Vickerslike (?)

[CONTESTAR]

Just to remind you, Samson is a biblical figure and not a movie star.

Samson is very aware in the Biblical story as well as the opera that his admission of love to Dalila means something like his "spiritual death" by treason to his people and God too! As if that wasn't enough, he does sign his death warrant by admitting this two words to her!

If any character in opera would ever be excused to belt out "Je t'aime", that would be Samson!

That said, this is the farewell performance of a legend.

[doddsalfa]

What is the main difference between biblical figure and a movie star?

[CONTESTAR]

In a perfect world the movie star is a handsome young guy who says "I love you" in a smooth voice that could melt an iron bar. lol...

However, in the Bible a character can be a fearsome prophet (in this case -other than strength- we have no description of gorgeous looks left down to us) and I would expect a desperate, religious person about to commit a fatal sin to be aloud to scream in despair this three magic words.

[toberhouse]

"Je j'aime" unless it's a typo doesn't really mean anything; literally it is "I love me".

What Vickers says is "Je t'aime" which means "I love you".

[toberhouse]

Or even worse "I love I".

[sincrotto]

C'è qualcuno un pò ingolato? Forse...Vickers? Franco Corelli, perché non hai cantato Sansone?

[milizakorjus]

I thought that Jessye sang slightly under the note which was a disappointment - I love Marilyn - but this aria has so many shades of past mezzos giving their most voluptuous notes it must be a great temptation to try and outdo them all - my personal favourite is Marion Anderson - but then I am old and have the 78's.

[mrteryx]

Sometimes to make comparisons is pointless. It is like comparing a Strativarious with an Amati violin. They are both beautiful resounding instruments, both with their individual color. It is just a matter of taste. This is one of the loveliest mezzo arias in the history of opera. It is always worth a tear - the orchestration and the supporting male voice, make this a true experience in listening pleasure.

[SubtlyRough]

Sorry, but - Stradivaruis (if you meant Antonio Stradivari) ;)

[bevsoprano]

Actually - Stradivarius!

[SubtlyRough]

I meant it (that was just a misprint! :)Thank you for having noticed it.

[kevbon27]

I kept reading comments on Jessye Norman's version how people preferred Horne's version so I decided to check it out. I'm no critic, just a music lover. Horne has a nice voice but there is no comparison of the two voices. Jessye has a very powerful voice. Horne has a very smooth voice in my opinion. I like Norman's version!!

[rao633]

I think that Caballe's performing is the best! Have you listened to it?

[hwhap13]

No no, Marilyn's was the biggest instrument of all. Now, to like one version over the other is just a question of taste. I like them both, Horne's and Norman's ;)

[swe50]

Comparisons are inevitable when it comes to arias that are frequently sung. This aria is excellently sung by many mezzos or dramatic sopranos. I find Horne´s rendition one of the best ever !!

[e0225w]

a magnificent voice

[vickersman]

This was Vicker's last run at the Met, and the last staged opera he sang (did it in Denver later in the season)He still managed to hit the B flat at the end(never an easy task for him-his top was always a worry). Marilyn Horne-simply the voice of the century- none sang in the chest register like her-a great piece for the memory banks.

[vanzofaust]

Singers are wonderful! The conductor actually sabotages the aria by killing the magnificent flow of the music. he doesn't hold a candle to Georges Prêtre.

[swe50]

Magnificent! Marylin excells in this piece as in many, many others! She has a quality to her voice which differs from many other interpreters who sound like their singing from their underbellies...

[amandemil]

Marilyn Horne singing in french sounds like she has a mouthful of oatmeal. A gorgeous voice but her french!!!!!!! horrible!!!!! Thank you Jean Fournet for the wonderful french style in the peice

[ryeathedog]

ha ha lovely voice but ur right about the bad french ;)

[bokensdorf]

Her French is not bad at all.

[ryeathedog]

her pronunciation diverges completely from the accepted vowel sounds for this aria (of course, realistically when singing opera one cannot truly reproduce the sound of the spoken language, but in some places she's nowhere near it :) )

[MssPrss2005]

wow, if jon vickers punched that last high note any harder, i think his head would've exploded.

[Operaman41]

@MssPrss2005 I am not trying to be ugly or knock what you are saying but Vickers had a HUGE I mean HUGE voice. That is why he was a true heldon tenor were their tesetura is lower than most dramatic tenors.

[TheCaseyonline]

@MssPrss2005 It's just a SIb ..

[Ruxton]

She's awesome- for a great live performance (where she does this) see the video/dvd of her and Joan Sutherland concert in Sydney.

[mfuz99]

God, I love this woman's voice.